Having rushed with all of his speed, Garm finally reaches the training ground while carrying Ren on his back.
[Garm/Ren] Master!/Sakyo!
They make their way through the crowd of knights before stopping behind Reika. She's still standing at the side of the sparring area, still frozen from the shock of her son's anger directed towards her.
[Garm] Lady Reika, what is going on here?
[Reika] Sakyo's taking a test, one I hoped he'd never have to.
[Ren] Where is he? Is he ok?
Reika doesn't say another word, only pointing forward. Following her gaze, Garm and Ren are met with the sight of Sakyo and Hendrix facing each other. Neither side has made a move yet. They're just standing there in complete silence. For the first time in this entire challenge, Sakyo decides to check his opponents status screen.
Hendrix
Age: 41 Years
Element: Water
Power: 6
Magic: 4
Vitality: 2
Speed: 4
Trick: 3
Titles:
{Solareth Kingdom Knight Vice-Captain}
Bloodline Ability:
{Cryokinesis}
Skills:
{Swordsmanship (Advanced)}, {Frostbite Strike}, {Glacial Wall}, {Chilling Presence}, {Hailshard Penetrator}
[Sakyo] (He's strong. Stronger than all the other knights. Not to mention, I'm almost at my limit. I don't know how I'll be able to win this.)
Tension fills the air around as no one can bring themselves to make a sound. The deafening silence is finally broken when Hendrix speaks up.
[Hendrix] I must admit, I didn't think you'd grown strong enough to make it this far.
[Sakyo] (pant) Me neither. Honestly, I don't know how I'm still standing right now.
[Hendrix] No matter, you efforts have all been in vain. Right here, right now, I will defeat you.
[Sakyo] You'll try, but I won't let you.
With their exchange of wills, the two warriors charge at each other. A flurry of fists are exchanged between them. Hendrix knows that his opponent is tired and is taking full advantage of that fact. He doesn't aim for a barrage of quick strikes, he aims to finish this battle in one shot.
Sakyo on the other hand can barely muster any strength in his fists. Every attack he throws gets weaker and weaker as his exhaustion begins to pull ahead of his will.
[Sakyo] (Damn, I'm finished. I can't land a good hit, and whatever that Pride ability boost was, it's already worn off. I'll need a miracle to win this.)
With desperation growing, Sakyo tries to use his weight to land a hit on his opponents head. Hendrix, seeing such an obviously desperate move, easily blocks and counters the attack. Sakyo uses the momentum of this counter to create some distance between the two.
[Hendrix] You're stubborn, but I guess that's why you haven't given up yet. In that case, I'll finish this with my full strength.
Hendrix raises his hand, pointing it straight towards Sakyo and begins chanting.
[Hendrix] "Through veins of frost, let heat flee from grasp. May the cold of winter's edge freeze, the warmth you once held close is gone. {Frostbite Strike}".
With his chant complete, small icicle shards form around his arm. Sakyo doesn't even have a moment to process as the shards start flying towards him. He's able to dodge the first few, but his body is too far beyond its limits. Two shards graze his leg while a third pierces his forearm.
[Sakyo] Ack! (That's cold! I can't dodge all of these shards, and I don't have anything that can completely block them either... Hm?)
Frost begins to form around the wounds made by each shard.
[Hendrix] Looks like you're feeling the effects of my specialty. {Frostbite Strike} isn't just a bunch of ice shards being thrown, it's got an extra effect. All wounds made by the shards have a chance of inflicting "freeze" on my target. Your movements will be slowed down as the cold flows through your body.
Hendrix continues his attack, launching more and more ice shards, leaving no room for Sakyo to counter.
[Hendrix] You're finished, brat. You completely exhausted yourself with all those battles, you're at your limit, and you can't even get close to me. Now to do understand the difference between us. A cripple like you who can't even use magic can never beat me. Just give up already.
Sakyo can't even hear Hendrix's taunts anymore, exhaustion completely taking over as his only thoughts are occupied with thinking of a way to keep dodging the onslaught of ice shards.
[Garm] Lady Reika, please stop this match! Master will not be able to last much longer!
[Reika] I-I can't...
[Garm] Please, I do not know how much longer Master can continue fighting.
[Reika] ...This battle is o-
[Ren] Come on, Sakyo! You can do it!
Everyone is stunned, looking to where the young lady's voice came from. Even Sakyo, through his blurred vision, can clearly see her supporting him.
[Sakyo] (pant)...Ren?
[Ren] You can keep going, Sakyo! You've never given up on anything before so don't start now! You're stronger than anyone I've ever seen before, I believe in you! I'll always believe in the one I love!
[Sakyo] Heh. (Jeez, why'd you have to say that?)
System: [Notice: Skill {Indominable Will} has been activated.]
Everyone around is completely silent after hearing her sudden love confession. Sakyo can't hold back a small chuckle at Ren's boldness. With her support filling his soul, he's able to bring himself to stand once more.
[Hendrix] Hahaha! So, hearing a declaration of love gives you strength, huh? You're only extending your humiliation. You're a pathetic brat, just like always.
[Sakyo] Then what does that make you? You can't even beat this brat at his worst.
System:[Notice: f0r6!dden sꞰi˥l: {Pride (The Shining Dreamer)} has been forcibly reactivated.]
[Hendrix] You obnoxious brat! Fine, since you're so hungry for humiliation, I'll finish this right now!
Another flurry of ice shards flies towards Sakyo, however, he's ready this time. With his eyes turned completely from gray to red, Sakyo charges with renewed strength.
[Sakyo] I won't lose to you! I'd never forgive myself if I lost here! I will not lose here!
System: [Notice: f0r6!dden sꞰi˥l: {Wrath (The Blighted Maw)} has been forcibly activated.]
He doesn't even bother dodging the shards anymore. Sakyo can't feel any pain, his mind won't even process it anymore.
[Hendrix] (Where did that speed come from? He should be almost completely frozen by now.)
For some reason he doesn't understand, Hendrix takes a step back. He can't understand why he's feeling this way. All he knows is that something about this battle has changed.
System: [Notice: Skill {Divine Resistance} has been activated.]
[Hendrix] "From the depths of winter, my fortress rises. Take my breath and block out all heat. {Glacial Wall}".
With a new chant, a wall of ice is erected right in front of Hendrix. This wall of ice defends against Sakyo's attack, stopping it in its place, or so it seems.
System: [Notice: ER_OR_E_RO__ERR_R_E_R0r_e4R_R_3rRoR_ E̺͔R̷͞R̙͠O͝R̬.]
[Hendrix] Hehe. HAHAHA! I don't know where that burst of strength came from, but it was all in vain! You lose, brat.
Crack
[Hendrix] What?
Crack Crack
Slowly, the wall of ice begins to break. Cracks begins forming as it slowly crumbles with each hit. The cracks keep growing until a fist breaks through, hitting Hendrix right in his face and knocking him back. When he finally regains his composure, he can't believe the sight before him.
[Hendrix] (Ice? But that's not mine.)
As the wall of ice crumbles away, Sakyo stands with his arms covered in black colored ice.
System: [E͉͢R̫̕R̟͞O̷͇R̢̩ E̦͓R̘͝R̼͏O͜͢R... Notice: Conditions have been met. First seal of {_____'s Curse} has been broken. Original Bloodline Ability:{Power Construct} has been unlocked.]
[Hendrix] (What just happened? How is he using ice? I thought he was just some cripple! That isn't the captain's Bloodline Ability.)
[Garm] That is my {Matter Absorption}.
[Reika] What?! How's that even possible!?
[Garm] I-I do not know. I have never heard of someone using another person's Bloodline Ability.
[Reika] Then, this must be it. This is his Original Bloodline.
While everyone is still in shock at the sight before them, Sakyo continues his attack. Hendrix, still processing this new sight, begins to panic. He erects multiple {Glacial Wall}'s in desperation.
[Hendrix] It's no use. So what if you can use ice abilities. You can't break through all of my walls!
Crack Crack CRASH
One by one, the ice walls are broken away, but it's different this time. The walls aren't just being broken, they're being melted away. When the final wall is destroyed, the reason is made clear.
[Reika] That's my {Pyro Armor}!
On Sakyo's arms, above his ice-covered arms exists a layer of blue flames. In a desperate attempt to keep his distance, Hendrix makes even more walls, trying anything he can to stop Sakyo from getting any closer. He doesn't understand it, but the reason is clear: fear. Fear of the young warrior, clad in black ice and blue flames, flashing a wicked grin from ear to ear.
[Hendrix] How? How are you using fire and ice?!
[Sakyo] (I see, so this is my Bloodline Ability.) {Power Construct}.
[Hendrix] What?
[Sakyo] (I can see it. The flow of energy through my bloodline. I'm not just using their abilities, I'm making them my own. Garm's {Matter Absorption} to make the armor, and Mom's {Pyro Armor} to light it ablaze.)
With an onslaught of attacks, Hendrix is sent flying back. His ice walls melting and breaking away from the shear heat being emitted from Sakyo, every punch that makes contact leaving burning scorch marks.
[Hendrix] This is impossible! My {Cryokinesis} gives me resistance to fire based attacks!
[Sakyo] That's because {Pyro Armor} doesn't just put fire over my armor, it enchants it with the fire element. Even if you're resistant to my fire, your heat resistance won't work on ice enchanted with the fire element. So tell me, how does it feel to be hit with fire so cold it burns?
{Hendrix] DON'T F*CK WITH ME! I don't care what you do! I am still the vice-captain of the royal knights, and I will not be beaten by a brat like y-
His declaration is cut short when a knee slams his face back.
[Sakyo] Heh. You'd think all that experience would teach you not to let your guard down in a fight.
As Hendrix struggles back to his feet, both warriors face each other on their last legs. It's clear that they're both reaching their limits. All of the knights watching can tell, the next strike will be the last.
[Hendrix] {Glacial Wall}!
Hendrix summons another wall of ice, but not to protect himself. This time, the wall appears behind Sakyo. Such an obvious trap, but he can't move away from it. His legs are barely keeping him standing so running anymore is out of the question.
[Hendrix] {Frostbite Strike} and {Cryokinesis}!
He makes even more ice shards, but they don't fly towards Sakyo yet. Instead, the shards merge together, forming one giant mass of ice. Once all of the shards are gathered, Hendrix fires it like a cannon.
[Hendrix] Take this with you to hell! {Hailshard Penetrator}!
[Sakyo] (Come on, think! What can I do now? I've gotta have some ability to block or dodge. Wait, what about...? Well, It's as good a time as any to try this one out.) {Untouched Phantom}.
CRASH
[Ren] Sakyo!
The giant mass of ice hits, shards flying everywhere. The attack landed, but when everything settles, Sakyo isn't there. No trace, no body, no blood, nothing.
[Hendrix] Ha ha HAHAHA! That's what you get for messing with the royal knights, you damn-
In one swift motion, a single fist coated in fire and ice strikes Hendrix's jaw from below. No one saw it coming. Sakyo's body shot through the ground at a blinding speed. One strike was all it took as Hendrix's body falls unconscious to the ground. With a sloppy roll to recover, Sakyo lands on his feet.
[Reika] It... it's finished! This battle is over! Sakyo has successfully completed The Hundred Battles Trial!